What is it?

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) Annual Data & Insights Report 2025 provides the latest findings in the global online child sexual abuse landscape. These findings reflect reports made by the public, industry and law enforcement partners, proactive detection and URL analysis.

Key Findings

• The IWF received 451,210 reports, with 311,610 confirmed to be or linked to child sexual abuse material.
• The IWF and Childline’s Report Remove tool, whereby children and young people can confidentially report to remove sexual material of themselves online, received 1,894 submissions, a 66% increase from the previous year.
• Girls are disproportionately impacted by child sexual abuse material, with 77% of non-AI-generated imagery depicting girls and 97% of AI-generated. The IWF reports that material depicting girls had misogynistic and violent tones.
• The increase in ‘self-generated’ child sexual abuse material* disproportionately effects teenagers. In cases of financially motivated sexual extortion, boys aged 14-17 represent 98% of victims.
• There has been a significant increase in the volume, realism and severity of AI-generated child sexual abuse videos, increasingly indistinguishable from non-AI-generated material. The proliferation of generative AI tools has lowered the technical barriers for offenders. AI-generated material re-victimises victims and causes further harm.
• The IWF recognises that a collaborative approach between industry, governments, trusts and foundations partners to tackle online child sexual abuse is paramount.

Where to find it

The full report can be found on the IWF Annual Data & Insights Report 2025. For more information, visit the IWF website.

* Please note: the term ‘self-generated’ child sexual abuse material is an inadequate and potentially misleading term. It does not account for the breadth of factors involved in this type of material. The term could be interrupted to place blame on the victim themselves. Children are not responsible for their own sexual abuse.